Clothes clamp or fastener.



PATENTED MAY 30, 1905.

I. T. 'DOXSEE. CLOTHES CLAMP 0R FASTENER.

v APPLICATION FILED T11R23. 1905.

- Witness Qtbomu UNITED STATES Patented May 30, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

IRA T. DOXSEE, OF BAYSHORE, NEW YORK.

CLOTHES CLAMP R FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 791,331, dated May 30, 1905.

' Application filed February 23, 1905. Serial No. 246,989.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, IRA T. DOXSEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at No. 72 Fourth avenue, Bayshore, Long Island, New York, in the county of Suffolk and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Clothes Clamps or Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved clothes clamp or fastener for securing clothes to a clothes-line, its object being to provide a device of this character which is simple, cheap, and durable and adjustable to secure articles of different thicknesses with equal efficiency and facility.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side View of a clothes-clamp constructed in accordance with my invention,

showing the several positions to which the clamping-pin is adjustable in full and broken.

lines. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line 3 30f Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a substantially U-shaped body or frame, one end, 2, of which forms a clamping-arm, the free end of whichis provided with an inwardly-projecting shoulder or depending portion 3, upon which the article to be suspended is placed and partially supported. The other arm, 4, of the body serves as a support for a looking or clamp ing pin 5, whose end 6 forms a clamping-jaw to coact with the arm 2 to hold the article to be secured. The pin slides toward and from the arm 2 in a bore or passage 7, formed in the arm 4, and is provided on the inner side of said arm 4 with a transversely-projecting locking pin or studs 8 and on the outer side ofsaid arm with an enlargement 9, serving the purpose of a grip or handpiece.

The" bore 7 passes through and intersects two keeper-chambers and 11, formed in the arm 4 at right angles to said bore, said chambers preferably being circular in form and of suflicient diameter to freely receive the pin 8 and permit the same to be turned therein by an oscillatory movement of the pin 5. The outer wall 12 of the keeper-chamber 10 is disposed on the inner side of the arm 4 and is provided with a transverse slot 13, opening into said chamber, while the two keeper-chambers 10 and 11 are separated byadividing-wall 14, which is similarly provided with a transverse slot 15, connecting the chamber 11 with thechamber 10.

Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings show in full lines the full-projected position of the pin 5, in which its portion 6 is adapted to lie close to the inner face of the arm 2, immediately above the shoulder 3, to clamp a comparatively thin article, such as a handkerchief or the like, to said arm, while Fig. 1 shows in dotted lines two other positions to which the pin may be adjusted to adapt the holder to accommodate and clamp thicker articles. To adjust the pin to one of these dotted-line positions, the pin is turned until the studs 8 lie in register with the slot 13, whereupon the pin may be slid outwardly to draw said studs into the keeper-chamber 10, thus projecting the end 6 of the pin farther away from the arm 2, in which position the pin may be locked by turning it to bring the studs 8 at right angles to said slot 13. To adjust the pin to the second dotted-line position, in which its clamping end 6 will lie farther from the arm 2, the pin is turned until the studs 8 register with the slot 15 in the wall 14, whereupon the pin may be drawn downwardly to a still further extent to bring the studs 8 into the keeper-chamber 11, inwhich position the pin may be locked by turning it to bring the studs at right angles to said slot 15, as will be readily understood. By this means the pin may be conveniently adjusted to clamp articles of different thicknesses and lock them securely in adjusted position.

The clamp or fastener is primarily designed for fastening articles of clothing to be dried or ventilated to a clothes-line. The U form of the body 1 adapts it to -be conveniently hung upon the line and the clothes to be suspended therefrom by clamping portions of the same between the end 6 of the pin and the arm 2, the fastening being rendered more secure by the shoulder 33, which I underlies the clamped portion of the article and sustains the greater part of the weight thereof. The clamp or fastener may be, however, employed for holding or clamping various other articles, and the essential parts thereof may be applied to hat and coat supports and to clamps adapted for a variety of other uses.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of operation of the invention will be understood without a further extended description.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A clamp comprising a body having oppositely-disposed arms, one of said arms forming a clamping-jaw and the other having a series of keeper-chambers and entrances thereto, and a pin adjustable in the latter-named arm toward and from the clamping-jaw and provided with projections to enter said keeper-chambers through said entrances and be turned at right angles to the latter to adjust said pin relatively to the clamping-jaw to hold articles of different thicknesses.

2. A clamping-jaw comprising a U-shaped body, one arm of which forms a clampingjaw, the other arm having a bore and keeperchambers communicating therewith, said keeper-chambers having entrance-slots, a pin slidable in said bore and coacting with said clamping-arm, and projections on said pin to enter said keeper-chamber through said slots, and adapted to be turned at an angle to said slots to lock the pin in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IRA T. DOXSEE.

Witnesses:

MORRIS SMITH, CHARLES W. Doxsnn. 

